Daniil Medvedev’s proposed rule change gains traction after stricken Jannik Sinner exits French Open
Daniil Medvedev called for tennis lawmakers to change the rules when it comes to medical timeouts following his loss to Jannik Sinner at the Italian Open.
He told reporters after his three-set semi-final defeat, “I actually have a solution: allow physical, allow medical treatment for help. Sorry. Allow medical, meaning physio three minutes, when you have cramps.
“Then there’s no problem because then a player could say, I have cramps, I need a physio. For the moment, it’s not allowed.”
Tennis players are allowed to receive treatment for cramping during changeovers, but they cannot call for a medical timeout if this issue rears its ugly head.
Tennis content creator Gill Gross has previously said these rules are unenforceable by chair umpires, and players can easily exploit this. Now, he has weighed in on the matter again after a physically shot Sinner lost in the French Open second round.
More French Open News
Jannik Sinner’s ‘strange’ French Open collapse leaves tennis legends stunned
Former world No 1 reveals culprit behind Jannik Sinner’s French Open exit
Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.
In Sinner’s five-set loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Wednesday, the Italian asked chair umpire Aurelie Tourte what course of action he could take as he complained of feeling dizzy and wanting to throw up.
Gross pointed out that Sinner was able to receive treatment, which “didn’t seem right at all”, and spent nearly 10 minutes off court as he tried to recover.
And while the four-time major winner was advised on the best course of action, a cramping Jakub Mensik was hit with first serve penalties during his gruelling five-set victory over Mariano Navone as he took more than 25 seconds between points.
So, what is the best way to fix this growing problem in tennis? According to Gross, and before him Medvedev, big rule changes are needed.
He said on his YouTube channel, “Here is what I propose. First off, just legalise treatment for cramping. Show me one time a player said, ‘I need a medical timeout’ and the umpire said no. Show me one time it happened!
“It annoys me to have a rule that is so poorly thought out. I even like the thought process behind the rule but we’ve shown it can’t be enforced.
“I think mid-game medical timeouts should be banned. You can take a medical timeout whenever you want, including in the middle of the game, but I think you should forfeit the game.
“If you need treatment that badly, that’s totally fine. I think that’s completely fair. And the serve clock should be enforced at all times.”
Gross added that in the Navone-Mensik match, the former should be rewarded for his superior conditioning and the latter should be punished for his.
On the medical timeout rule, he added, “That rule has never been enforced, will never be enforced. As long as you don’t use the c word (cramping), you will get the medical attention you seek. We have a rule that is unenforceable and exploitable.
“Especially in desperate cases, when you are physically suffering, you are going to do what ever it takes to get some relief and hopefully get the win. That is why the rules need to be reformed.
“It is not Jannik Sinner’s job to officiate in the case, it is Aurelie Tourte’s job to officiate. I don’t think she should have allowed the medical timeout, I think she should have deemed it a loss of fitness. I think she should have, at the very least, forced a wait until a changeover.”